Adjustable dress-form



J HALL. Adjustable Dress Form.

No. 233,240 Patented Oct. 12,1880.

Fig.2

WIT E5555 g ki-QJZZ'Z? UNITED STATES PATENT @FHCE.

JOHN HALL, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE DRESS-FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,240, dated October 12, 1880,

Application filed January 24, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HALL, of Watertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Dress-Form, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dress-forms, by means of which every part of the device is rendered adjustable, so that it may be appliedto a dress of any size or style and fill it out perfectly, in order that trimming may be placed upon it, 860. The mechanism for accomplishing this result is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a dress-form embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line as '1, Fig. 2. Fig. 4is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the dressform detached.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a is a pole or standard, supported in a pedestal, b, of ordinary construction. This pole or standard is designed to support an entire dress-form, which is made, however, in two distinct parts, which I will designate as the skirt-form? and waist-form. The principle of the invention is the same in both.

In the skirt-form, c c are upright ribs, made preferably of thin springy material, held toward the standard a by means of elastic fabric d 11, one band being placed near the bottom of the skirt and one near the hip portion. 3 5 These elastic bands are secured to each rib.

Instead of fabric, spiral-spring wire may be used, although fabric is deemed more efficient and economical.

e e are braces or stretchers, whose inner ends are hinged to the sliding block f and whose outer ends are hinged to the ribs 0 0. e e e are braces, whose inner ends are hinged to the block f and whose outer ends are hinged to slides g g g, placed upon the two side ribs and one rear or trail rib, c c 0. Each brace e is provided with a hook, it, adapted to drop into one of several holes, is, Fig. 4, made at intervals in its corresponding rib. The block f slides upon the rest or support h, provided 50 with a set-screw, h

To spread the lower part of the skirt-form, loosen the set-screw h, raise the rest 72, which pushes up the sliding block fand lifts the inner ends of the braces e 0, thus spreading the skirt-ribs c 0, and adjust the set-screw h To adjust a particular rib independently of the others, move the slide 9 (see Fig. 4) up or down to force the rib in or out, and drop the hoop 70 into the desired hole.

The present style of skirt requires the side ribs to be placed in and the rear or trail rib out a little. To contract the skirt-form, loosen the set-screw h and the band 01 will force the ribs in and the block f and rest h down.

At the hip portion of the skirt-form two sets of braces, 6 e hinged to sliding blocks f f below and above and to the ribs 0 c, are provided. Rests h h similar to rest h, are placed above and below the sliding blocks, and the rests, blocks, and braces operate in manner ex actly similar to those connected with the lower portion of the skirt-form. Thus the hip portion may be enlarged or contracted as desired.

In the waist-form elastic bands m are placed at the neck and lower extremity around the ribs, which, however, depend quite largely upon their own elasticity for contraction. The side ribs, Z Z, are jointed at the shoulders, and are supplied with a pair of long braces or stretchers, n n, so as to admit of great expansion. The breast-ribs l l have nearly as long ones, and the other ribs, Z have shorter ones. The braces 42 n are all connected with slides 0 0 and with sliding blocks 19 p. A neck-block, 8, having set-screw 8, lies above the sliding block 10.

To place and adjust the waist-form after the skirt-form has been adjusted, push the waistform down until the sliding block 10 rests upon the rest 71. then with the neck-block 8 press the sliding block 1) until the waist-ribs have sufficiently spread. The side and breast ribs 1 I, having the longest braces 02, will expand the most, and the others in proportion. Then set the screw 8.

I usually attach the upper ends of the breastribs and the corresponding rear ribs to the upper part of the side or shoulder ribs, such part being lettered l in Fig. 1, and forming the shoulder. Thus it will be seen that provision is made for different sizes, proportions, and heights, as Well as for changing fashions in dress.

The waist and skirt may be used separately, if desired, the former being capable of displaying vests, &c.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the sliding block f upon the standard a and brace e, the slide g, hook k, and rib 0, having openings k therein, for the purpose of causing such rib to be adjusted independently of the rest of the series, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the standard a and ribs 0, the double braces 6 sliding blocks f f and rests h 1L2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the standard a, slid- 20 in g blocks 0 p, and neck-block s, the ribs 1 l l and double braces n, of various lengths, attached to said ribs by the slides 0, substantial] y as and for the purposes above described.

4. In combination with the standard a and 25 braces n, the jointed side or shoulder ribs l l, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JOHN HALL. Witnesses HENRY W. WILLIAMS, GEORGE V. MALLON. 

